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Back Copper Chain Save as PDF
Chapters (62)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Page
  3. Dedication
  4. CONTENTS
  5. MAP
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  62. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

‘Too busy here,’ Finn replied absently, making another scratch on the side of a crate. Crammed among the stores, he looked up from his work to grin. ‘This is a good idea. There’s risk, but there’ll be more than enough reward. Few ships cross through the Chasm to the Aleuthean Sea. We’ll be able to name our price.’

Dion chuckled and shook his head. ‘You’re taking your role seriously.’

Finn shrugged. ‘It’s only a small change.’ He smiled. ‘And I get to wear expensive jewelry.’

In order to maintain the deception that they were a merchant vessel, Finn was presenting himself as the representative of a powerful trading consortium from Koulis. He wore a thick navy tunic and a belted sash the color of gold, along with a heavy silver necklace and calfskin boots. With his soft-spoken manner, long lashes, and delicate hands, he looked every inch the wealthy trader.

Dion fingered his own necklace, also made of silver but plainer than the one he’d left at home in Xanthos. He would be presenting himself as first mate, with Cob the Liberty’s ostensible captain. As such, his clothing was plain and functional. He looked anything but a king.

‘Cob’s worried,’ Dion said.

‘Cob’s always worried.’ Finn went back to his work, peering inside a barrel and making several more scratches on the side.

‘What are you doing?’

‘It’s a private code: the price we paid for each barrel. I plan to double my money on each.’

‘Your money?’

‘Ah . . . The treasury’s money.’

Dion watched him for a time. Finn was almost too eager to play his part. If they had to leave in a hurry, he wondered if he’d be able to tear him away from his negotiations with the city’s traders. ‘Come up when you’re done. We’re nearly there.’

6

6

As the trireme slowed to approach the pier, Dion and Cob stood up near the bow, appraising the city of Malakai and wondering what kind of greeting their arrival would provoke.

Dion was relieved to see that no soldiers were coming down to meet them, only dozens of brightly dressed merchants jockeying for position as they waited for the vessel to dock.

‘What makes you think you’ll get to meet this Palemon anyway?’ Cob muttered.

‘With a ship like this?’ Dion indicated the vessel. ‘He’ll want to meet us.’

‘And if he likes the ship so much that he wants it for himself?’

‘That’s what the soldiers are for.’

‘I still don’t like this.’

Hearing a shrill sound, Dion turned to see Finn walking the deck, theatrically craning his neck and whistling as he took in the nearing city. Finn then glanced down at himself, tugging at his tunic, before coming to join them.